Method and apparatus for producing roofing elements



Emsms` 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Feb. 23 1926,

, T. ROBINSON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RRODUCING ROOFING ,EL

Filed nec. 22, 1923 n 7 W 9x M /U M L- o o /L @o o o, e O. O HMH/l. n o om y Cm mv L j, w o o o 0W 5 MA WV Ww im C om WW W www www Q .ww 0 .O O 3 TM5! HHH, v 2 O o if w Y, o o o o .o )N L M wf m Feb. `23 ,1926.

T." ROBINSON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ROOFING ELEMENTS Filed Dec. 22, 1923 2 Sheets-rsheet. 24

core or baile of n. materiel which ie insoluble in. the electrolyte and e coating of the metal whichl is to form the depoeit plated on the vanode has e `plurality of .holes formed through it which permit un increased and rapid circula/tion loot-h in plating the metal on the core and in plating the metal off the core upon'the elements. These holes also provide en increased `imode surface, while confining the size of the :inode within the Ul l desired limits. l he :modes are mounted in the cell in the usuel manner, connected to the positive terminal of u source of current and the metal is plated therefrom upon the surface of the clemente. Inuemuch as the :modes conform in their general outlines to the ihape desired for the deposit, and Since they havel en increased surtece over thet normally employed, and also since e rapid `circulation of the electrolyte is permitted,

the process of producing the elemente tney he carried onrnpidly with the time required for deposition reduced to a minimum, while A the quality of the plate ie. entirely satisfactoryo By making use of enodes of the type dceeribede further economy is effected. in those recesses of electrodeposition making fpsoluble enodes, the anodes employed are of'rened metal. ln the case ci copper plating the anodee orcr prepared. after the metal hes been subjected to cert-ein reninlgr processes. The crude metal taken from the smelter is;v subjected to electrodeposition upon e stertin sheet and the cathodes so produced are tien melted. up and cest into anodeew a size convenient for use in the particular electrolyt-ic cell in which they are to he employed. The crude copper, there fore, passes through an e`ectrolytic refining process end is then melted and cnet to convenient form. -With the present type of anode, however, it is possible to shorten this procedure hy using the anode hase as the cathode in the first electrolytic refiningr step, and the metal deposited. thereon is found to be of suiiicient purity for the purpose of making 'roofing elements. These anodcs are, therefore, mnde directly )from the crude metallv coming from the smelter without the ncceSsi-ty ot first dcpoeitingiV thel metal on n starting sheet und then melting this metal und casting it to upproin'izitc forni. This elimination of the limiting;n and ruining ehenpons the production ol" 'the :modes considerably und the quality ol' the plating produced/ieI suflicicntly pure t'or this;

puriiculur purpose. .By milking use of n huso of :i mutui-lul which ie innoluble in the electrolyte, the materiel deposited ou it muy be plated oil completely and there le thus no loss in scrap and no rcn'ielting;I charge.

ln the accompanying' drawings there is illustrated u suitable apphrctue hy which the new procese muy he practiced, and' in these drawings,

Fig. l is o fece View of an anode in the form used for the production of three-unit shingles,

Fig. 2 ie e Sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. il is e face View oi. u separator,

Fig. 4f is ai sectional View of the separator on the line 1-Jl of Fig. 3,

lFig. 5 ie u fece View ot a thl'cefunit ehingle linee.

Fig. 6 is a taufe View ofi u three-unit shinglo showing the deposit formed thereon. l

Fig. 7 is av transverse. Sectional View through on electrolytic cell in which the enodes and separatore are used, und

Fig. 8 ie .n longitudinal sectional view of n cell showing the onodes, scpzirntore, und e'ernents in place therein.

Referring to these drawings, the multiple unit shingle is eeen to consist of e sheet of bese materiel 9 'of n.. length corrcsprmdingy to the width ofty three single shingles und e width corresponding yto thc length of the ordinary shingle. Along that edge which to be exposed when the clemente are leid in courses are outputs l() which extend into the main hody oi' the hase for such e distance that when e series oi' ele ment-s is luid in overlapping courses thc forward edgcsof the elements of the upper course will conceal the rear end of the cutouts and thus the portions ll'of the shingler between the embouts will have the zeppelin ance ofvsingle shingles. 'With this a fungement the root", when covered with euch ments leid in the manner descrilielhus the appearance ot' the ordinary shingled roof. The portions 1l which :1re to he ex osed to the Weather :1re protected by n mete lic coeting l2 and for purposes of this description the metal used for this purpose will he con.- sidered to-be copper, although it Will he clear that other metals of e 'similar churacter could hc used for this layer. Since thc cut-outs expose portions of the elements hencnth them, the protective loyer ie arranged to cover that surface of the clement, und consequently the platino' is formed with tongues 13 which extend hzurkwardly from. lthe main hody ot Athe platin;y and nre located equidintunt hctween the cut-cute.

Since the deposit to he formed on the heee I luis on irregular out-line :is illustrated in Fig.

(l, the nnodee need in the proccee ure given :i corresponding' sha ie und es :i result greater rapidity in the veiectrodcpossition operation is attained. Such. on :inode is illustrated in Fig. l in the form in which it would be usedlUU composite type und consists of c sheet 'i6 of insoluble bese meter-Eel. preferably of lead, since the electrolyte used in the cells 1s ordinarily copper' suighute and the lend isV t ierein. 'lhe hose is cmnpurevl not solubletively thin but since it is used te support the unodes it must have suiiieient tensile strength to Support the weight .of the copper which is to he deposited thereon. Formed through the buse ere hoies il' 'which muy be urrunged in uny g; rticulnr order but which ere here illustrated es placed in two rows. These holes muy very 1n size but ure shown es one inch holes on two inch centers. The tongues l5 are also formed 'with holes 17 similar to the holespreviously described. lhe 'tongues l5 extend upwerdly t'or u consideruble distance und ure connected at their upper ends Toy o. loer 18 which is preferably of copper, connected. to the tongues in any convenient manner, as hy rivets 19.v This bur 18 extends beyond the ends of the anode und to support the lutter in the cell., as will presently he described, and also to provide the electrica-l connection hy which the current 'is led to the anode.

The separator' consists of e plete of inn suluting materiel, such us Wood, and is of a.-

length. equal to the element. In its lower surface the separator hss cut-out portions 2() which. serve to define the shape of the tongues 13 und, therefore., have e shape and size depending on the shape and size which is to be given these tongues. Either face of the separator is covered with u sheet of metal 2t. preferably lend, since this metal does not go into solution in the electrolyte. At its upper outer corner the separator has extending lugs 22, which are mounted to ovcrlie the sides of the cell and thus provide y a ineens for supporting the separator there in. lhe sheetof metal 2l covering the fece of the sepurutor is of such dixnensionstlmt when the edge of the element is placed even with the upper edge 23 o this sheet, the element will be in 'such position that its conductingcoating is properly exposedbeyond the ed e of the separator to receive the pluting. he edge ot this sheet, therefore,A acts .use gouge for positioningl the element. Ex-

tending upwardly from one corner of the sheet is e strip of metal 211 having u hole 25 therethrough. This strip of xnetul serves us u terminal .tor uconnector which is `connected to the strip und to the negative terminal ot' the cell;

'lfhecellin which the elements are to be plated ismxo'iiuied of slate or of wood, either of the cell.

i .s .I with or without u sheathing, or lt nnty he formed of any materiel such es 1s com' monly used for this purpose, preferably one which is not affected by the electrolyte. .ihe

side Wells 26 of the cell ure spaced apart a. 70

dist-ence corresoonding to the length of the ele-ment and have strips .27 secured to their upper surface and extending bevond the side wells. On the upper surface ot one ot' these strips is mounted the positive bus bur 255,

While on the side of the other strip is mount- "ed u bus bur 2f) which is connor-.tml to the negative ternunul of the source of power.

-The cell is sutiiciently deep so that the'level of the electrolyte in it will he above the un 90. 13er edge of that part of the element which is to be covered by the coating. ln the cell illustrated there are to be placed e group'of nine anodes, sixteen sepurutor inernlmrs,

und sixteen elements. The length of the cell so that the elements may be readily removed.

ln setting up the parts 'for the operation ofthe cell, an anode B1, is placed in one end The ends of the bur 18 of this anode rest on top of the busbar 28 :and the strip 2?, and thus suport the imode in its 95 proper location Wit 1n the cell.

Plftced 4:url geiinst the face of the anode which is mounted against the inner face of one end.

Well of the cell, is a separator 32, the lugs 22 of the separator lying on the bus ber 28 100 und the strip 2 7 and thus supporting the separator in proper location. There are.,

next placed in the cell, e pair of fooling' element bases 38, placed; beck'to backhso that the conducting coating onone is turned 195 this latter element is. placed n second sepe-4 1.10*

rater 34, beyond which is placed another anode 35.` This arrangement,- is throughout the cell. in order to insure that a roper connection is mede between the bus ars and the :modes faces of the se arator, a. suitable connection 36 may be ma Ye between the bus loer 28 and the first tongue of each snode at 37, While a. similar connector 38 connects the terminal 24 ot' the seperatorvJith the bus bnr 29. m0

When the complete group of unodes, sepa retors and elements have been placed in osition Within the cell, there is1nserte between the 'last imode and the opposite end of the cell e pair/of wedges 39, 39, which 125 forcel the unodes, separators, und elements together, und thus the elementsnre held by' pressure without the necessity of securing. them' in devices.

used

and conducting place py clamps or other similar no lit:

l'Vilh the elements so Secured in, place the current led into the anodee through the luis liar f il and the connections The copper on the 'luce of each inode then. goes into solution and ie deposited on the con dueting surface ot the roofing elements.l 'lhe current is ri'ithrlrewn from een ducting coating tlirough the conducting sheet on the face of the separator whieh is in contact with it, .thence through the terini nals 24A, ciumeetors 32%, and the bus loer As. has previously heen described, the tongues l on the anode :ire similar in size to the tongues ik? which form Rari', of the plating and the :inode tongues are located opposite the eut-outI 2li of the separators. The main body ot the :inode entende below the edge o' the separator and lies in proxd imity to the-surface of the conducting eenting on the element, With this arrangement it will. he eeen that all portions el the oon-- dueting; coating `on thev element lie at the naine distance from the Surface of the anode and since the finodes are perforated in the manner deserioed this permits of an aieive circulation el the electrolyte between the Y anode and the element. it will be understood that ordinarily u plurality of cellsA This flow oat electrolyte may be caused by u through the several cells.

-plotting.

pump'and the connections will be euch as to cause the electrolyte to flow suce@ tively The perlorutions in the zinodes that none of the cleotrolyte will he poelreted and 'thus hec-ome weekK Consequently, hy reason of this; increased circulation. und the splicing ot the :inode and the element, sind oleo lby reasonof the increased urea ol the anode exposed lo the electrolyte hy r auen el the holes, the plating may he carried on much more rapidly than usuel, while the quality of the deposit is in no way impaired. After the electrolysis han been carried on 'for a length of Linie Sufiicient to produce e, plating of the dewired thickness, the wedgef: are -reL moved, the members suspended in the eell are Separated.. and unpleted eleinentesulistituted for those which have received the The parts are then placed in their original positions, the wedges forced in place, und the deposition continues.

it has been found that there. is :i tendency to build up :i deposit on the edge of the :meinst the conducting Coating of the element, and this deposit, which serves no useful purpose, may in time extend Heroes the .lower end ot the sepziruto undy unime" u shortcircuiting of the anode und eleinei'it. ll'hen this deposit on the separator has ut-` tuincd un objectionable eine, upon the nett assembling ol' the ports the ee rzitors are vsepan-etere they :ire kept olefin. Wlehout 'neces 'ty o withdrawing there: from removed from the cell and reverse l, wheie upon he fece on wlpiieh the deposition has occurred now lies; in contact with the anode :ind this deposit will thereupon go into solution.. thais been found that this solo tion or drileting of the deposit occursmuch :more rapidly than the deposit huilt in), zine'. consequently 3y` this rewersnl of the the the cell from. time to time and removing the deposit ily nieelninieul in( In t: fs wey the eepziraters :ire kept rom ingury :ino may he need for an indefinite period,

When all of' the copper on. the lead hase or' the anode luis gone .into solulion new nnedee must. he substituted. The old :mede llames are simply removed from the cell, neuf ones .fe-'lipped into place, and then the old heees are when 'to the copper relining cell und med :is cethofles therein. They ere huilt up to their original condition and in this Vway the baisee may 'oe .used indefinitely,

since when the hase is exposed by the platf ingofl' of the copper the lead is not Soluble in the electrolyte.

llie .separatore here heen described as having Contact faces made of sheets of metal., hut if desired ity is possible to make use of contact Srips which :ire preferably located ,eo ne to extend along the edge of the eut-out, portione or". the separator, making Contact there with theupper edge of the contact coating on the element. rlhe use of this separator with its entire .tace covered with i Sheet of metal not only serves the purpose of* withdrawing current Jfrom the elements, hut it luis'lreen 'found that the deposit has a cleaner boundary since the metal is ordiinirily a hotter conductor than the conducting n'luteriul applied to the element., and the currentl does not flow in the eo'odu'cting coating uhove the line of' contact and, tl'ierelore, no deposit Will trike pleite above this line.

Bythe use of the. anode havingl :i base correspondin@r to the Shape oif the deposit y.find formed ol the plating; material depos ited on si buse. il; will ne seen that :ill Soler ble portions; ol the imode may he used with out, Waste und consequently there is no' Semp :nor :ire there :my remelting charges. The corrosivoudence in shape of the anode and the deposit and the use of perforation?, through the :mode greatly improve the quality of `the deposit und permit of much greater eurcontact luce of the separator which lies rent densities than :ire ordinarily permisei ile. while the plating applied to the clement is kept from heine powdery, i

lVhile, the uppurutus here illustrated has liefen found to provide a eonvei'iiJ-.nt means ol prin-living the process. it will lie, clear liut virions thor i'ornis of zil'ipui'utlls would lill' lie equal-ly useful for this iiurpoe. Also the i shape ol' the anode, lle Separator, and the e heee to form en emotie, mounting a piu ravlity of these smoclee in en electrolytic cell between the opposed feces of each pair ci anodes placing a pair of separators, between the separe-tors placing besef; having conduct# .ing coatings on one surface thereo With the coatings turned toward the anofes, holding the anodes, Separatore and hoeee t0- gether by lateral pressure, enti (Lemie/ating the anodes and the coatings to the poeitive sind. negative terminals reepeetively et e soorce of eiectric current, Y

8. Apparatus for melting rooting elemente' comprising en electrolytie oeil, having `mei tive enolnegotive bus 'here mounted tiere on, 'en anode supported 'in the cell enti hevingfg e terminal connected. with the positive bus bar, this anode having' o, Shape corresponding to the shape of: the derweil: to lee mede, e separator mounted in the cell odjecent the face of' the anode, this eeperetory being ormetlto define the' shape ot the de posit, and means Afor hoicling a, rooting ele'- ment bose hei/"ing a conducting coeting formed on thelsurziee thereof against the foce of the eeperator with the conducting -eoeting turned toward the anorle.

9. Apparatus ot' the class deseri'berl comprising an eleetrolytie cell, an anode Supported therein, this anode having. o shape corresponding to the shape of the deposit to be made', e separator mounted against the ieee ot the eno-ele and composed of insulating materiel hevino e conducting Jieee mountetnereon, thm eeperetor having e shape serving; to dene the shape of the de posit, and a, base having e eonfeeting eoet mg on one surft-see there/ot, this base being supported against the separator and extend- Sing beyond the eci'e thereof. f

i0. Apparatus o the ciales described comprising; en eleetroiytio oeil, pair ot eno-les mormtecl therein, there anode-3 having e shepe eorreepontiing to the shape ozthe rleposit emi having a, plurality of perforation@ formed therethrough, o, pair of eepeietors formeel of insulating mnteriel emi; having conclucting fsurfeees miie @seri thereon, the separators being placed eti/veen the emoties with their conducting feces oppoeeil, e pair of rooting eiement .baisee disposed between the separatore 31 Contact with each other, the outer eilrfaoe of emit eiemeht having e eimduetingg coating; thereon lying' egeinet the conducting; surface of the adjacent sep- Motor, emi means for holding the anodes, seperotors ond-elements in Contact to enppoxt the elemente ingplace between the seporatore.

11. Apparatus of the class described oomrising an electro-lytic cell, an anode mounted in the cell and consisting of e plate having a tongue extending; therefrom, the plate :met the tongue being formed to correspond with the f .ape of the deposit to be mode,

teveel@ a, seimletor plececl against the face of the eno ,e emi. consisting of o sheet et msulatl' mg materiel having a Contact surface A mounted on one face thereo,'.tl1ie se' eretor having a. bountlary serving to de ne the shape of the deposit, and ven element havin@ a conductingfeoating formed thereon helil against, the fece of the separator .with the coetinA in Contact with the Contact surface.

12. n an eleetrolytic cell, the combination of an anode consisting of a. plate of theA materiel to be deposited, e tongue exi tending from the pieta, the shape of the plete end tongue corre ondi g to the shape of the deposit to be me e om the plate having e plurality of perforetions therethrough, en insulating se arator disposed against one fece of the eno( e, e contact surface dapoaed on. the fece of the Separator, and e rooting element hase having e conflucti'ng coating held against the separator with the cor duet" ing coating in mnteet with the contact snreee. i y

7.8. En en electroiytie cell, e oluble anoiie composed of the materiel to be ceposited miei comprising e plete and e. tongue extending therefrom, the shape of the plete and tongue eorreeponring to the she e ot the deposit lto he mede' .end the plow evin e plurality of pero'ret'ione therethrough, e er atte/cheri to the tongue and serving es e support for the anode and es en ele/:tricel terminal therefor, o, separator formed ci insulating material mounted against the fece o' the enocle, this separator having e boundary serving to define the slm e of the depmit, e Contact sartene moun Q on the sepereton end e roon element heee helei egoin'et the surface of t e separator, this hase having e conducting coating in commet with the eontaet surface.

lll. im en eleetrolyte oeil, an anode @om sieting of e core of insoluble materiel hovng e. piating of the materiel to he deposited on the eore, this anode having o shape rorresponding to the Shape of the deposit to he mede, o 'separator of insulating materiel held against the tace of the anode, e oon1 tact eut-fece formed on the separator, and a. yroong.; element base held against the eeperetor and having e conducting coating m Contact with the eonteet surface thereon,

15K In apparatus ofi the class described, an electrolytie oeil having positive end nego tive bue here rlisr osed along the sides there# of, an anode in t. e cell consisting of a. plat/e of thev materiel to he deposited, a tongue extending from the plate and a baz' snpported by the walls of the cell and making; contact with the positive bus bar of the cel the plate and. ton ue having e shape wirresponcling tothe ape of the deposit to be made, a separator formed. of insulating material having 'e contact surface on one ieee thereo, his contact surface being electri 13" lili lll

img coating cally connected to the negative bits bei' of the oeil7 tbe separator having a shape sci'vinfv to deine the deposit to be mede, and :i i'oo ing elei'oeudrl bowing o conducting cooling disposed on tbe fece thecof, this conducebeing in couici; with lhe Contact surface el: the separator. 1

i6. Apparatus-noi the class described compiing en elecii'olyiio cell having positive and negative iermmels disposed therein, a plui'olityr @modes mounted in' the cell, each .axiode'comisting of e plete,la o tongue extending iliereirom, and e; bei secured to the iongiie mid eewinff es a means for supporting the :mode in'ilie cell eed also being electrolytieolly connected to the posiive ierv minalp the coll, the ploe oud eine tongue hevinge elicpe corresponding lo the eliape of the deposit to be made, o plurali@ of eepzwotors mounied 'n ehe cell in peine be tween cd'aceuteoodes, each eepmreoi comgisting o e pleine of insulating materiel and e Contact surface mounted' ou tbe plete, the plate bowing e boundary serving; to define the depoei, o plurality of i'ooing element bases mounted in eii's between bhe .members o ceci: pel? oit eepoobois, each fooling element beee heaving e oondoctixg coating im contact with the Contact surface of time sepei'utor, electrical conoeceions betweeniabe con- -tact surface o the seperai'ore and uegeiive terminals of tile cell and means located et nuy end of the cell and seiving to bold the anodes, separators, and elements 'in place, l? ln apparatus of the class described, e soluble anode liavirlg shape corresponding to the shape of the deosit to be made.

i8. lu apparatus of the class described, en :inode consisting of o core of insoluble ma terial and o. deposit thereon of the material to, be deposited, 'coifesponding to the shape of the depooit to 'be made and havina plurality of perforations formed theret rough.

19, In apparatus o the class described, a 'soluble anode consistin of u plaie and al tongue exiending time rom, the plate and tongue having a sha e corresponding to the shape of the deposit to be made and being ormed with a. plurality of perforationa therethrough.

2U. lin oppamius of the class described, eo imode consisting of a, core of insoluble materiel having a plating thereon of the metal'oo be de iosited, tbe anode consisting of :i plate :in o Longue extending there the' core having-a shape.

soy

ivom, the shape oi the plete sind tongue corresponding to be shape of the deposit to be, made, and a ber connected to the tongue end serving' as a means for supporting the anode end voleo as an electrical tei-mina! therefor.

En testimony whereof I affix mg signature. THDMAS RO INSON. 

